Letters to the Editor: More to say on UK football-basketball spat.

Practice facilities

As a University of Kentucky alum and ardent Wildcat sports fan, I am mystified by the recent squabbling over the need for more and better basketball athletic facilities.

The UK Mission Statement says in part — “dedication to improving people’s lives through excellence in education, research and creative work, service and healthcare.” How has the mega millions from public and private sources spent on UK’s athletic facilities in the past 10 years really improved people’s lives, unless you’re speaking of the coaches, athletic administrators and athletes?

Today’s focus is on the athletes’ name image and likeness. We’re a poor state with nearly 70 percent of the population on some form of public assistance, reeling from back-to-back natural disasters and hyperinflation. What has that done for Kentucky’s “name, image and likeness?”

Now there’s concern that we’re short-changing our basketball program, while the cost of a UK college education, not to mention basketball tickets, has escalated beyond the reach of the general populace. Will another new basketball practice facility really improve lives?

I urge the UK board of trustees and the BBN to refocus its priorities on UK’s mission and what’s really improving all of Kentucky’s lives. Enough is enough.

Chris Anderson, Lexington

Blaming facilities

University of Kentucky Basketball Coach John Calipari should cease using the athletic team’s training facility as a scapegoat for his disappointing record. The last NCAA championship trip was 2012 (winning), and final four was 2015 (losing). His claim that the facility is unimpressive to recruits does not fit UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart’s description as state-of-the-art. He should inform the public how many recruits have rejected scholarships because of the training facility.

William Wheeler, Lexington

Academic school

I must be missing something.

I thought the University of Kentucky was an educational institution, not a “basketball school” or a “football school”. Silly me.

Mike Daugherty, Vero Beach, Fla.

Bridge coverage

Either we’ve become so accustomed to former President Donald Trump’s grifts, or this paper doesn’t feel it necessary to put the two most important stories of August 14 on the front page. Instead of the search by the FBI of Trump’s house for classified documents taken from the White House (Page 6A) or the accomplishment of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (Page 11A,), the Herald-Leader put the plight of covered bridges front and center. Of interest? Yes, but not when our Republic is at stake. I think the right can retire the phrase “the Lexington Herald Leader is a left-wing rag.”

Beth Harper, Lexington

Rupp renovation

To say that I am disappointed with the renovation of Rupp Arena is an understatement.

Rupp Arena’s inside renovations were done well. But, the exterior of the Arena still looks like a barn or warehouse. The original drawings that were published in the Lexington Herald-Leader showed a beautiful blue glass top to the Arena, which looked great . Of course, the Lexington Center people did as they always do and expanded the convention facilities that get used occasionally. The argument is we have to expand to be competitive, which I believe is BS. I love Lexington, but quite frankly Lexington will never be a major convention location and expansion of convention facilities is a loser

Robert B. Russell-Tutty, Lexington

Hot dogs

In Rob Bolson’s article about hot dog restaurants in Lexington, he left out the best-ever hot dog restaurant in town. Tommy’s Hot Dogs was the best in my humble opinion.

Located at what was 1197 South Broadway, Tommy’s was THE PLACE for great chili dogs . I believe it opened in the 1960s and was there through all of the 1970s. I delivered their mail from 1974 through 1979 . I limited myself to eating there once a week for lunch . At first, you could get three chili dogs for $1, then they were 2 for $1 . I believe Mr. Tommy Shuck started it, then turned it over to Janice Huffman. When she retired, it closed. It is gone, but not forgotten. They served the best chili dogs I ever tasted and to this day I still miss them.

Harry E. Tucker, Lexington

Congressmen’s message

The photographs in the Herald-Leader about the flood in eastern Kentucky, and images on television were heartbreaking. They showed the devastation of property and lives to the areas affected by water, likely brought about by climate change.

I was so encouraged by the Inflation Reduction Act being passed in the Senate, knowing that Kentucky would finally get the help they needed to rebuild in a smart and lasting way. I anticipated it would be welcomed by U.S. Reps. Andy Barr and Hal Rogers as direct support for their constituents who voted for them.

But, alas, I was disappointed, angered and dismayed at their callous response. It brought to mind the jacket former First Lady Melania Trump was wearing when she visited the border with Mexico concerning the refugees. It said on the back “I really don’t care, do you?” How inappropriate for suffering people regardless of who they are. Even Jesus was a refugee. So what did Barr and Rogers do? They voted, as every Republican in the House, “No.” That meant they are not willing to help you. So, when you reach your arm up out of the two feet of mud, hoping they will lend a hand, remember their vote said, “I really don’t care.”

Ellen Clark Marshall, Lexington.

Abortion ruling

Do the majority of Kentuckians believe that human life begins at conception? I seriously doubt it. Thomas Aquinas doubted it too way back in the Thirteenth Century. Theologians debated it for a couple millennia. Many of them termed the subject “ensoulment.” Human life appears to begin sometime after conception, a number of them reasoned. This idea continues in many of our houses of worship today.

My hunch is Jefferson Circuit Judge Mitch Perry was well familiar with that history when he ruled several weeks ago that Kentucky laws which assume that human life begins at conception “single out and endorse the doctrine of a favored faith for preferred treatment.”

He added that our state constitution does not permit the Kentucky General Assembly to favor one religion over others. Just think about it. His reasoning is simple and profound.

Personally, I think Judge Perry has also drawn our attention to the essential issue of Kentucky’s proposed constitutional amendment to ban abortion. It’s undeniable that prohibiting abortion would be the same as a state endorsement of the “conception” dogma accepted by some religions but not accepted by other religions. (Judge Perry’s injunction has been blocked since then.)

Tom Louderback, Louisville

Classified documents

Why on earth did U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland follow the law, approve a search warrant to pursue missing classified documents from someone who no longer had the authority to have those classified documents? These classified documents were being held in an unsecured facility where no employees had security clearances. What was he thinking? Did he even care about the safety and security of United States?

OH WAIT! Garland was following the law. These questions need to be asked of U.S. Sens. Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham, Ron Johnson, as well as U.S. Reps. Kevin McCarthy, Marjorie Taylor Green and others; the talking heads at FOX News; and most especially former President Donald J. Trump! What was Trump doing with these documents in an unsecured facility when he knew he no longer had the authority to have those documents?

It appears Trump does not care about the safety and security of the U.S. The average citizen would have been in jail by now for doing this!

Joe Crouch, Lexington

Angry actions

I am mad. I am mad about inflation, the price of gas, the lack of school security for children, the spending by Congress, the stormtroopers in former President Donald Trump’s house, the cost of new and used cars and trucks, the cost of my medicine, the length of time it takes to turn left at By-Pass and Big Hill Rd, the traffic in Richmond between 2:30 and 5:30 PM, and I’m mad about the potholes in the road.

And because I am mad, I do not have to obey the law, drive at posted speeds, stop at red lights or stop signs, move over for ambulances, or offer another driver to go first. I do get to put threatening stickers on my car and pick-em-up-truck, drive without mufflers, drink alcohol to excess, treat others as unworthy, watch the TV channels I want to because I want to, and be generally ugly to everyone I want to... except people who are my friends and believe like I do. My mom said I could years ago...

Lincoln H. Christensen, Richmond

Rand’s vote

Because of the importance of the coming election, I think this should be huge news and on the front page of every newspaper in the state.

Last week, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul first voted to deny help for veterans suffering the effects on toxic burn pits. Then he voted against lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

Once again, Paul has betrayed the people who pay his salary. What work has he done for the average Kentucky citizen since he’s been in office? Seriously, can someone name just one thing?

Clearly, Sen. Paul is not earning the salary we pay him, so he needs to be fired come November.

Jimmy Billiter, Hager Hill

Denying notoriety

Notoriety is what would-be mass shooters plan for, and some plan to die for.

The media should stop immortalizing perpetrators of mass shootings by ceasing the broadcast and publication of the perpetrator’s mug shots, manifestos, apparel, firearms, and modus operandi.

Instead, the media could broadcast or publish QR codes that viewers/readers must scan if they want to find out the perpetrators’ name, appearance, motives, and so on. QR code information will satisfy full news disclosure. More importantly, the perpetrator won’t get the immediate public “face time” they crave.

Requiring the public to scan a QR code on tv, newsprint or internet in order to learn the identity of a mass shooter may be enough of an obstacle to discourage would-be mass shooters if they know they won’t get as much recognition or attention for their crime. Instead, more airtime, print and e-print should be spent presenting the unfortunate victims’ and survivors’ identities, lives and aspirations.

Delaying the mention of the perpetrator’s identity and methods could blunt one motivating factor that encourages future, and often copycat, mass shooters. DENY their notoriety and SAVE LIVES!

Edgar Iwamoto, Lexington